March 11 – Women’s History Month – Fearless Females

March 11   –   Do you have any female ancestors who died young or from tragic or unexpected circumstances? Describe and how did this affect the family?

My female ancestor Esther Read (1817 – 1842) is the great granddaughter of my 6 x great grandfather Cozens Read.  Esther is one of a very large group of my ancestors from Quainton, Buckinghamshire, UK. 

Her parents are Steven Read (1782 – 1859) and his wife Ann (nee Lee) (1793 – 1853). 

There is not much I can discover about Esther Read.  In the 1841 Census (the year before she died aged only 25) she was living with her parents and siblings in Quainton.  Her father was a Publican.

I found a baptism for William Read in 1842, who was born to unmarried Esther Read.  Esther died in 1842 and I think that maybe she died as a result of having her son William.  I will get her death certificate to find out for sure how she died so young and also a birth certificate for William, just in case there is a clue as to his father, although I think that will be unlikely!!

I have not been able to discover yet what happened to Esther’s son but will keep on searching.

Sadly, for such a short life, there is not much to tell about poor Esther Read.